Best of 2007 - Family Moments...

This is more than likely my last "Best of 2007" entry...I have worked on a top ten for music and movies, but its so hard to narrow down, I don't know if they'll get done...Plus, I really think that once you get a full two weeks into 2008 you ought to be done with the "best of's" from the last year and we are almost there! Anyway, I wrote this post a few nights ago and am just getting around to posting it...This list holds a lot of special memories for me. Here is my "Top Ten Family Moments of 2007". Enjoy.

10. Curry graduating at Pride High School. - You'll notice very quickly that when I talk about family I mean it in a very extended way. I have an incredible family, an amazing wife, great parents, the best brother a guy could have, but I also have so many people I consider family that aren't blood. Curry is one of those guys...I've known him since he was in elementary school and a couple years ago he and his family moved from Goldthwaite to Southeast Texas and Curry dropped out of school...He moved in with us in March and attended a "pace yourself" high school program here in town and graduated in May. It was really good for Johanna and I to be able to help him make that happen.

9. Chicago Trip With Mark & Mike - Back on Memorial Day, I got to go on an incredible trip with some great friends, who have become a big part of our lives. Mark is a student in my youth group and Mike is his dad. For Mark's 16th birthday, we all flew to Chicago to spend a couple days and watch the Cubs play...Incredible trip and I absolutely fell in love with Wrigley Field.

8. Weekend With Norwood, D Brown, and Chance - Earlier in the year, I got to spend a weekend in Austin hanging out with some fraternity brothers and great friends from college. What was really cool is that Norwood lives in Cali now and D Brown is in Ohio so being able to spend some time hanging with those guys doesn't happen very often...Great weekend and great friends.

7. August Days with Justin and Christie - Jo and I spent a few days this summer with my brother and his wife...We were actually traveling to speak at a church in Bridge City and left a few days early to spend some time with them...It was cool just to hang out and chill with them for a couple days.

6. Day with my Dad at The State Basketball Tourney - Every year our family has at least two tickets to the Boys State Basketball Tournament. We used to all go, but since it is the weekend before Spring Break it seems I am always getting last minute things together for a mission trip...But this year my mom and dad came down and stayed with us while they were at the tourney and I got to go on Thursday and watch all the games with my dad. That was really cool.

5. Youth Specialties @ St. Louis - Let me just say that St. Louis has nothing to do with why this was a top ten moment...St. Louis actually sucks...But Johanna and I spent five days with some of our closest friends in ministry at the annual Youth Specialties convention...I'm not sure that I've ever heard so many National Lampoon Family Vacation quotes in such a short time...And I'm not sure St. Louis will ever be the same...But we all had a blast and I love getting to spend time with James and Jason because they are two of my closest friends in ministry and in life.

4. Andy & Jaron Interning This Summer - Again, although these guys aren't blood relatives, they are as much family to me as anyone...They are former students who came and lived with us this summer and interned for me within the student ministry at the church...To say that we had a blast doesn't even get close to how incredible this summer was! We made memories that will last forever! Thanks guys!

3. Johanna's Birthday Trip in July - We spent a weekend in San Antonio for Jo's birthday this year. I suprised her with reservations at Tower of the America's and we had a blast going on the Mission Trail looking at all the old missions in the area and taking pictures. What a great weekend, even if the Marriot's fire alarm went off at 6:00 in the morning!

2. Family Christmas - This year our family Christmas was just awesome. We started out with Jo's family in Houston and got to see our nephew get baptized (outside in 32 degree weather!). We spent a few days there before heading to North Central Texas to spend a few days with my family. Justin and Christie were in for Christmas and since my Papa had been in rehab from a surgery for Thanksgiving, it was great to have us all together at Christmas. I really have come to cherish the time I get to spend with my family since it is rare...Definitely one of the highlights of my year.

1. Our Anniversary Trip to the Coast - In April, Jo and I spent four days in the Rockport-Fulton and Port Aransas area...We had an absolute blast! We did everything from swim in the frigid gulf waters on a deserted island to taking a tour boat to watch the dolphins...Throw in great seafood, a rented UT golf buggy, and a fantastic hotel and you have yourself a fantastic celebration of the 2nd anniversary. This was definitely the highlight of my year and we had an absolute blast...The only bad thing was having to leave to coast and come home!